


Partners in Crime-Fighting

by fleurlb



Category: Saving Grace (TV)
Genre: Case Fic, Friendship, Gen, Old Friends
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-24
Updated: 2017-12-24
Packaged: 2019-01-22 20:35:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,124
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12490308
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fleurlb/pseuds/fleurlb
Summary: Grace and Rhetta work together on a case.





	Partners in Crime-Fighting

**Author's Note:**

  * For [SadieFlood](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SadieFlood/gifts).



Grace paced the narrow landing of the stairwell, smoking and thinking. Every muscle was coiled tight enough to burst, and she felt like she wanted to punch something. But instead, she inhaled deeply and let her mind travel down any possible path. That little shit Royston had been ripping off little old ladies for at least three years. There had to be a way to get the evidence to make it stick.

The door swung open and Grace hid her cigarette behind her back but then saw it was only Rhetta. 

“I thought you were going to call,” said Grace. “Is it good news?”

Rhetta shook her head. “The prints were inconclusive. They were just that little bit too blurry. It's hard to get prints off of a crushed can, especially one that was chucked out of a speeding vehicle. It was a good idea to try, but no dice this time.”

Grace leaned against the wall and took a deep drag off her cigarette. She bent her knee and rested her boot against the wall, then kicked the wall in frustration. Rhetta joined her against the wall, close, their shoulders touching.

“I'm sorry,” said Rhetta. “I know you're disappointed.”

Grace leaned over. “Fingerprint analysis isn't the most exact science.”

“Grace, no. I know where you're going. No.”

“C'mon Rhetta. I know...I _know_ he's the guy. Little old ladies are eating cat food and not getting their heart medication because this asshole is fleecing them. All I need is the warrant.”

“Grace....” Rhetta's voice carried an idle warning but also an uncertainty that reminded Grace of when they were kids.

She leaned in closer, whispered in Rhetta's ear. “Maybe take another look.”

“No!” Rhetta balled up her fists and threw her arms down in emphasis. She took a step sideways and turned toward her friend. “You can't actually be asking me to do that. I know you're just frustrated and upset, because I know my friend wouldn't ask me to do something that would put both of our jobs in danger. In addition to it being, you know, completely and very morally wrong.”

Grace looked up at the ceiling and let out a long stream of smoke. “I'm sorry, Rhetta. You're right.”

“It's okay.”

Grace pushed off the wall and paced for another few minutes before she stopped and gave Rhetta a slow smile. 

“I have an idea.” She crushed her cigarette out on the heel of her boot and tucked it in her pocket, then grabbed Rhetta's hand and pulled her out the door. 

\--//--

Rhetta sat next to Grace's desk and watched as she picked up the phone and made a call. Her body was nearly vibrating with pent-up energy and the twinkle in her eye made Rhetta's stomach sink. Rhetta had seen that look so many times throughout their friendship. It always meant a crazy idea had bloomed into a full-on wild plan. 

“Howdy, is this Chuck Royston? How you doing today, son?” asked Grace, winking at Rhetta. Her accent had slid right into pure-Okie. 

“I'm calling from KCRX....that's right, Country that Rocks, Yeeehaw! I am so happy to tell you that you've won a free maid service – three hours of cleaning your house or apartment. Now, for insurance reasons, it has to be your place, so I hope you weren't planning on giving this prize away to your momma or anything......Great. Now, if you can just confirm some details with me and let me know when would be a good time for the cleaners to come, we can get this show on the road.”

Rhetta put her head down on Grace's desk and gently began to bang it, just to telegraph exactly what she thought of Grace's plans. She could see where this debacle was going. She and Grace were going to be cleaning this guy's apartment, snooping for evidence. Rhetta didn't think it was technically illegal, but it was definitely unethical and probably a career-killer. 

Grace put the phone back in the cradle and began typing on her computer.

“Grace, there's no way. We can't clean this guy's apartment. That's not a technically legal search. It'll all be fruit of the poison tree,” said Rhetta.

“That's why we're _not_ going to be cleaning his apartment.” Grace's smile was pure Cheshire Cat after a canary eating incident. 

“Then who is?”

Grace picked up the phone and grinned at Rhetta. “Mighty Maids are. Then we'll have you stationed by the dumpster to collect the garbage bags. That's completely legal. The Supreme Court said so.”

Rhetta didn't realize she'd been holding her breath until she took a deep breath and felt her body relax.

\--//--

A few days later, they stood at the counter in the lab, systematically picking through a bag of trash. Rhetta was still wearing the maintenance overalls under her lab coat. The plan had gone off without a hitch. 

Grace stopped and held up a ketchup-stained piece of notebook paper. 

“If criminals stopped being stupid, my job would be so much harder,” she said as she passed the page to Rhetta. It was a list of names and addresses, some of them crossed out.

“That's a victim research list. I recognize these names.”

“Why are some crossed out?”

Grace shrugged. “Who knows. We can figure that out later. Right now, I need you to tell me whether Royston touched this paper.”

“I can look for prints now. DNA will take longer, but we can do that if it's a key part of the evidence for the court case.”

“That'll be between you and the DA, I hope. Go ahead and do your magic.”

While Rhetta worked, Grace paced and wished for a cigarette. She stole looks at Rhetta, who was concentrating on the paper, her back to Grace. The minutes stretched out to something that felt like forever. Rhetta turned and her eyes met Grace's. She nodded.

Grace covered the distance between them in five long hops. “Really? You're sure.”

“Positive!” said Rhetta with a little squeal. 

Grace hugged her friend and they jumped up and down like 13-year olds celebrating a surprise day off school. 

“You're the best, babe,” said Grace with a grin. “And Mighty Maids! That was the best $150 I've spent in a long time. But maybe we don't mention that too much, right?”

“All that matters is chain of custody. And he consented to having cleaners in his apartment.”

“Exactly,” said Grace as she pulled out her cell phone. “Okay, I need to call the DA and get the paperwork rolling. We'll have this bastard by dinner time. Tonight, we celebrate!”

Grace walked out of the lab, pausing at the door to wave good-bye to her best friend and partner in crime-fighting.


End file.
